GPT and Ascites: Compared with patients with none-low persistence of elevated serum TBA, patients with medium or high persistence of elevated serum TBA were more likely to have shorter length of follow-up, to have older age at entry, to be diagnosed with cirrhosis and ascites during follow-up, to have higher APRI scores at the end of follow-up, and to have medium or high persistence of elevated serum ALT (P < 0.05) (Table 2).